Process for extinguishing well-fires.



ulznais SR w. R. SINK. PROCESS FOR B XTINGUISHING WELL FIRES.

APPLIOATIQN TILED 00T.7, 19 1 3 1,127,81 6. Patented Feb.9, 1915.

- V v w I f l Inventor Attorneys I 1 k 1 -I i 1 1 s x r 1 r eases lee-FIRE EXTINQUISHERS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. SINK, OF MOORINGSPORT, LOUISIANA.

PROCESS FOR EX'lI1 TGrUISI-IIl\TGr WELL-FIRES.

Application filed October 7, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM R. SINK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mooringsport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Process for Extinguishing Well- Fires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to present a novel method for extinguishing fires at the outlet of an oil well or a gas well.

The invention aims, further, to provide a novel form of an apparatus whereby the above mentioned method may be consummated.

By way of explanation it may be stated that when an oil well or gas well takes fire at the outlet of the well tubing, such a fire, hitherto has been extinguished only with great difiiculty and at much expense. It has been customary hitherto to attempt to choke out the fire by the superposition of a weight of some sort upon the mouth of the tubing, by use of steam, or through the medium of other methods. Owing to the 1ntense heat existing at the mouth of the outlet pipe, the work of extinguishing the fire progresses slowly, and at once, with a danger to human life, with tiresome efiort, and wlth great expense. When it is attempted to choke out the fire by loading or banking the end of the pipe, the choking material not infrequently is cast high into the air, time after time, only to be replaced fruitlessly, under great difliculties and amid circumstances endangering the lives of the workmen. WVhen it is attempted to choke out the fire by means of steam, a battery of boilers is arranged around the mouth of the pipe, but the expense attendant upon a procedure of this sort is great and the results obtained are frequently not satisfactory.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that any method whereby the fire at the outlet of a well may be easily extinguished at minimum expense, and any apparatus Whereby such a method may be carried out will prove acceptable and will meet with a ready recognition.

The objects of the present invention therefore, are to provide a simple process for extinguishing a fire at the outlet of a well, and to provide an inexpensive apparatus whereby the method above mentioned may Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 793,919.

which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 shows in top plan, an apparatus adapted to carry out the method herein disclosed; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a carriage which may be of any form and may be movably supported in any desired manner. In the present instance, the carriage is shown in the form of a sled or mud-boat, although the specific form of carriage shown in thedrawings may be altered without jeopardizing the utility of the invention. Presupposing that a sled is employed, the same is shown as comprising runners 1, curved at their forward ends as denoted by the numeral 2. superposed upon the runners l are longitudinally extended sills 3 supporting a platform 4. Superposed upon the sills 3 is a transverse support 5 which extends at its ends beyond the sills. Tubular spacers 6 are interposed between the runners 1 and the sills 3 and through spacers 8 extend bolts 7 or other securing elements which serve to connect the runners l, the sills 3, and the platform 4, the support 5 being similarly connected with the sills and the runners. Rearwardly converging guides 8 are connected at their forward ends by means of securing elements 9 with the forward edges of the sills 3 and the runners 1, the

rear ends of the guides 8 preferably extending beneath the platform 4 and being secured thereto. Disposed above the platform 4 is an upwardly arched bridge 10 held in place upon the platform 4 and upon the sills 3 by means of securing elements 11. Mounted in the intermediate portion of the bridge 10 and in the platform 4 is a pivot element 12.

The pivot element 12 serves to support a means whereby a crushing, constricting or bending pressure may be applied to the well tubing, which is indicated at 23. This means may be of any desired form, but in the present instance is shown in the form of a pair of levers 14; provided adjacent their forward ends with thickened solid jaws 15, beveled as at 16, the levers 14 being disposed in intersecting relation and being pivoted at their point of crossing, upon the element 12, between the bridge 10 and the platform 4:, the jaws 15 of the levers 141 being halved together, as indicated at 22, and the rear- Wardly extending handle forming portions of the levers being spaced apart slightly as indicated at 21 to avoid unnecessary friction.

Secured to the guides 8 or to any other accessible portion of the carriage are forwardly extended flexible elements 17 which are made of some material which will not readily burn or melt. Other flexible elements 18, of a like nature are secured to the lovers 14% adjacent the rear ends thereof. The flexible elements 18 are crossed upon themselves as indicated at 19 and the ends 20 of the flexible elements 18 are extended in opposite directions and may be connected with windlasses, blocks and falls (not shown) or with any other suitable means whereby tension may be applied to the flexible elements 18.

In carrying out the present process, the carriage is located at a safe distance from the pipe 23 and the jaws 1.5 of the levers 14: are opened. The flexible elements 17 are then disposed upon opposite sides of the well tubing 23, the free ends of the flexible elements 17 being swung around upon a large radius, represented by the lengths of the said flexible elements. By this operation, it is unnecessary for the operators to approach closely, the flame existing at the mouth of the pipe 23. Then by means of the flexible elements 17, the carriage is drawn forwardly, and the pipe 23, being engaged by the guides 8 will be directed between the jaws 15, the jaws 15 being spread wide apart, and one or both of the handle portions of the levers 1 1 being supported upon the protruding ends of the element 5. After the pipe 23 has been directed between the jaws 15, as above described, tension is applied to the flexible elements 18, thus efl'ecting a closing together of the jaws 15 against the pipe 23. By the operation above mentioned, a constricting, flattening or bending pressure will be applied to the pipe 23, and the outlet thereof will be closed, the fire, of course, being extinguished. The pipe, which is generally of metal, may be heated by the action of the fire to such a degree that when the jaws 15 are closed upon the pipe, the constituent walls of the pipe will be welded together.

At times it is desirable to regulate the distance at which the jaws 15 operate above the surface of the ground. l Vith this end in view the spacers 6 may be removed, and be replaced by other spacers which may be of greater or less length than the spacers shown in the drawing. Thus, the height at which the jaws operate, may be regulated. If desired, the runners 1, and the spacers 6 may be removed entirely, the sills 3 sliding in direct contact with the ground.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is The herein described process of extinguishing a fire at the outlet of a metal well pipe which consists in permitting the pipe to soften under the heat of the fire and then welding the walls of the pipe together under pressure.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my sig nature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. SINK. WVitnesses:

F. M. HEARNE, J. F. IVEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. C." 

